Folding top



Patented June -1, 1920;

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

I J'Zax Buck;

fly fizz scription the singular is usedas applyingtoand,

airs iSTA MAX 'BUGI-I, 0F DETROIT, MICHIGANyASSIGNOR TOT-IENRYEUEDWARDS', OF JACKSON,

MICHIGAN.

FOLDING- 5301..

Specification ofLetters' Patent.

PatentedJune 1, 1920.

Application filed October 13, 1919. Seria1zNo. 330,264.

gan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Tops, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to improvements in folding tops for motor vehicles, motorboatsand the likeand is designed as an improvement upon the application filed by me in'the United States Patent Office on the 241th day of March 1919, Serial No. 284,734.

The invention aims to accomplish the same objects and results secured by my former construction, but without the tendency of the outri ger bow or front extension 13 to project upwardly in the initial unfolding or opening out of the top.

With theseand other objects in view the invention includes the novel features of construction and arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described, my said in vention being defined by the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which 2- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of top embodying my invention in its extended position upon a motor vehicle body, only a portion of which latter is shown in outline for convenience of illustration.

Fig. 2 is a similar view with the extension parts folded back against the main bow, while the dotted lines show a partly opened out position-just before link 3 starts to lift away from the main bow,

Fig.3 is a detall new of a modification,

Fig. 4 is'a detail view of a further modification. 1

The top being shown in elevation the bow arms, links and levers on one side only appear in the drawin but it Wlll be understood t-hatthey are duplicated on the opposite side, and where, in the subjoined deone side it will be understood to apply to the opposite side also.

Referring by reference characters to this drawing the numeral 1- designates a vehicle body, 1 the top covering material, and 2 the main bow standard whichhas its lower end, pivotally connected to the body preferablybya body iron or pin 3 secured in a su tablemanner tothe vehicle body.

he bow standard or arm 2 inclines rearwardly so .as to lie inapproximately the same position as the rear bow of the conventional type of top and it supports at its upperend the corresponding end of the bow 2 thoughobviously the bow maybe made integral with the standard or arm where an allmetal top is desired.

Inthe embodiment shown in Figs. 1 and 2 a pair of links ormembers 3 andA: have theirrear portionspivotally connected to the bowarmQ, one above the other, as indicated at 3 and 4:. The forward extremity ofione ofathese links (3) isconnected bya plain hinge joint 3 which, ifdesired, may be of theelbow orlock type, to the rearend of a bowarm 5 carrying a bow'5 (integral or otherwise) which for convenience I term an extension bow arm. The forward extremity of the other link (4) is connected by a pivot indicated at P to the bow arm 5 a suitable distance in advance ofthe pivot 3 One of thelinks (3) has pivotally connected therewith at 6 the lower or rear end of a bow arm 6. (for convenience ofdesignation called the intermediate bow arm) carrying. a bow 6 and to thisbow arm is pivotally connected at 7 the rear end of a member 7 which, in the projected position of the, top, extends diagonally .across the bow arm 5 to which it is pivotally connected at 7*.

Tothe forward end of this member is pivotally connected at 8, by a hinge joint-of preferably the elbow or look type, the rear end oft-another extension bow arm 8 which corresponds to the usual outrigger bow. arm, and will be .so designated hereinafter. A linkor brace 9 has one end. pivotally connected with the outrigger bow arm 8 at 9 and the other-end pivotally connected with the bow. arm 5 at 9.

One of the links or members 3 or 4 is utilized to form a top projecting. lever, and in the preferred embodiment shown in the drawing the lower link or member 3 is utilized for this purpose. Tothis end, and to enable the extension to be unfolded without objectionable rising of the outrigger bow and to reduce the power required to raise the top, I form the connection with the bow 2 in the shape of a sliding joint, conveniently by providing a slot 13 in the end'of the member 3 which may be widened out or extended for this purpose, this slot being engaged by the pivot pin 3.

A flexible element 10 which may be in the shape of a strap or web is connected at its lower end with the body, as by a clip 10, preferably engaging with the top hanger bracket 11. The "upper end of the strap 10 may be connected by a clip 10 with the extremity of the arm 12 of a bell crank lever which is fulcrumed at 12 on a lug or bracket carried by the main bow arm 2. The other arm 12 of the bell crank lever has its extremity connected by a link 13 with the arm 3 in advance of the pivot pin 3*, the.

point of pivotal connection being indicated at 13".

I prefer to curve the forward end of the link or member 4 downwardly so that in the extended position of the parts it will rest upon the top of pivot joint 3 to act as a stop, or when stop joints are used to impart additional rigidity to the joint.

From the foregolng description it is thought the operation of the constructionwill be obvious, but it may be briefly stated as follows:

Supposing the parts to be in the position shown in Fig. 2, the main bow arms having been lifted from the top hanger brackets 11 until the strap 10 tightens and the member 3 lying parallel with the main bow arm, it will be seen that the slot 13 also lies lengthwise of the main standard. As the main bow is pushed farther upward the bell crank lever is rocked about its pivot 12? by the pull of strap 10 upon arms 12 which thrusts upward on link 13. This first shoves the link or member 3 lengthwise upwardly until the pin, which has previously rested in the upper end of the slot, reaches the lower end but while link 3 moves upward, link 4 which cannot move up, presses on bow 5 and causes the extreme front extension to open out, so that by the time link 3 has traveled the whole length of the slot, the top has opened out, as shown in the dotted lines, whereafter I as the pivot pin 13 is offset from the plane of the slot the further upward thrust upon the link 13 swings link or member 3 upward and completes the opening out of the top, this latter movement therefore taking place after the rear bow arm has raised sufficiently to cause the top to be opened out or extended in a substantially horizontal direction.

It will be apparent that various modifications might be made in the construction without departing from the spirit of my invention, one example of such change being illustrated in F 1g. 3 in which the lost motion connection is provided in connection with the link 4, the link having a lever extension m in rear of its pivot which is connected by line 13 to 'the lever 12".

In order to assist the opening out of the top and especially to facilitate the proper stowing away of the top covering material while the top is in the act of folding down, I preferably arrange a coil tension spring 1 1 which has one end secured to the main bow 2 and the other end to the link 3, thereby tending to pull the link 3 up until the pin rests in the lower end of the slot and tending to hold or. force the top to its partly opened out position as shown in Fig. 2 by the dotted lines.

If desired the bellcrank l2 and link 13 may be omitted, in which event the opening out of the top is done by taking hold of the front bow pulling same forward while with the puse of the bellcrank a lifting up of the main rear bow causes the front extension to shoot open automatically.

It is obvious that the lost motion connection might be made in various ways. For example, the main standard 2 might be provided with .a pivoted member 1 having a tubular passage through which is passed the extended end of the link or member l such extended end being provided with stop flanges 2 and 2 Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. In a folding top for vehicles and the like, a main bow arm adapted to be pivotally connected with a vehicle body, an extension bow arm, link mechanism pivotally connecting said extension bowarm with said main bow arm, said pivoted connectionembodying a lost motion connection, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on said main bow arm, means con- 105 necting one part of said lever with said link mechanism, and means for connecting another part of said lever with the vehicle body.

2. In a folding top for vehicles and the 110 like, a normally rearwardly and upwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to said body, an extension bow arm, link mechanism pivotally connecting said extension bow arm with said main bow 115 arm, said pivotal connection embodying a lost motion connection, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on said main bow arm, a link connecting one arm of said bell crank with one member of said link mechanism, and means 120 adapted to connect the other arm of said lever to said vehicle body.

3. The combination with a vehicle body, of a main bow arm pivotally attached to said body at its lower end, an extension 125 bow arm, and a pair of links pivotally connected at their forward ends to said extension bow arm and at their rear ends to said main bow arm, one of said rear conncctions being a limited sliding connection 130 lengthwise of the link, a bell crank lever pivoted on said main bow arm, a connection between one part of the lever and said link, and foldable means for connecting another part of .the lever with the vehicle body.

4. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally rearward-1y and upward-1y inclined main bow arm pivotally attached to said body at its lower end, anextension bow arm, a pair of links pivotally connected at their forward ends to said extension bow arm and at their rear ends to said main bow arm, one of said rear connections embodying a limited sliding connection, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on said main bow arm and having one arm linked to one of said pair of links, and folding means adapted to connect the other arm of said bell crank with the vehicle body. A

5. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally rearwardly and up wardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension bow arm, a pair of links pivotally connected at their forward ends to said extension bow arm and at their rear ends to said main bow arm, one of said rear connections embodying a limited sliding connection, a lever fulcrumed on said main bow arm and having one arm linked to one of said pair of links, and means for limiting the upward movement of the other arm of said lever.

6. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally rearwardly and upwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension bow arm, a link or member pivotally connected at its forward end to said extension bow arm, said link having an offset portion connected with said main bow arm by a pivotal connection having a limited sliding movement, a bell crank lever fulcrumed on said main bow arm, a connection between one arm of said lever and said link, and a means for connecting the other arm of said bell crank lever to the vehicle body.

7. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally rearwardly and upwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension bow arm, a link or member pivotally connected at its forward end to said extension bow arm, said link having an offset portion provided with a slot disposed parallel with the length of said link, a pin on the main bow arm engaging said slot, and means for connecting a portion of said link in advance of said slot with the vehicle body.

8. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension "bow arm, a link or member pivotally connected to said extension bow arm at its forward end and having an offset portion at its rear end connected-to said main bow by a lengthwise slidable pivotal connection and foldable means connecting a part of said link in advance of said slidable pivotal. connection with the vehicle body. i 9. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension bow arm, a link or member pivotally connected to said extension bow arm at its forward end and having an offset portion at its rear end connected to said main bow by a lengthwise slidable pivotalconnection, a spring acting on said link tending to slide the link upwardly when folded, and foldable means connecting a part of said link in advance of said slidable pivotal connection with the vehicle body.

10. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension bow arm, a link or member pivotally connected to said extension bow arm at its forward end and having an offset portion at its rear end connected to said main how by a lost motion pivotal connection, and foldable means adapted to connect a part of said link in advance of said slidable pivotal connection with the rear end of the vehicle body.

11. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally upwardly and rearwardly inclined main bow arm adapted to be pivotally attached to the vehicle body at its lower end, an extension bow arm, a link or member pivotally connected to said extension bow arm at its forward end and having an offset portion at its rear end connected to said main how by a lost motion pivotal connection, and foldable means adapted to connect a part of said link in advance of said slidable pivotal connection with the vehicle body, and spring means connecting said link and said main standard.

12. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a normally upwardly and rearpivot and the other end to said standard above the pivot.

13. In a folding top for motor vehicles and the like, a main bow arm adapted to be 5 pivoted to the vehicle body at its lower end,

an extension bow arm, upper and lower links pivotally connecting said extension, bow arm to said main bow arm, an auxiliary bow arm pivoted to said lower link, a link member 10 fulcrumed intermediate its length on said extension bow arm and pivotally connected at its rear end to said auxiliary bow arm, an outrigger bow arm pivoted to the forward end 01 said link member, and a brace link pivotally connected respectively to said outrigger bow arm and to said extension bow arm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature;

MAX BUCH. 

